SNAP
Statements

We are here today for two reasons: the archbishop's severe mishandling
of two child molesters: Monsignor Daniel Pater and Father David
Kelley.

The archbishop owes Catholics and victims an explanation.
The archbishop owes us an apology.
And the archbishop needs to remove these two abusers immediately
and permanently.

Monsignor Pater's case is particularly troubling.
Here's a man who has admitted molesting a girl, at least twice,
once years ago when the crime took place, and again recently to
a Dallas Morning News reporter. Yet his career skyrockets. He leaves
the country. He goes to the Vatican. He is promoted. He is appointed
to a high post in India, where kids are even more vulnerable. And
just days before his crime is exposed by a major US newspaper, he
volutarily steps down and returns to Ohio.

Father Kelley's case is nearly as troubling.
Here's a man who was removed by church officials for abuse allegations.
Allegedly, he is told to stay away from children. But not a single
archdiocesan employee bothered to do one bit of follow up. So a
dangerous man again finds a position of access and authority over
vulnerable youngsters, counseling them.

We've endured decades of suffering. We've endured 19 months of
horrific disclosures and exposes. Has this archbishop learned nothing
from all this pain?

With both of these molesters, the archbishop has made vague promises
to have a panel of lay Catholic volunteers look into these cases
sometime in the future.
But vague promises do not keep kids safe.
Decisive action keeps kids safe.
Decisive action is what Catholics and victims deserve.
Sadly, decisive action in this archdiocese has been sorely lacking.

The past cannot be undone. No one can magically erase the pain,
the stolen years, the shattered innocence we have experienced.